


Worth Fighting For

by Angelicat2



Series: Sheith Month 2018 [20]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: But more emotionally, Day 20-simulation/exploration, Discrimination, Hurt Keith (Voltron), Protective Keith (Voltron), Protective Shiro (Voltron), Secret Relationship, Sheith Month 2018, sheithmonth2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2018-07-24
Packaged: 2019-06-15 15:52:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15416385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelicat2/pseuds/Angelicat2
Summary: While on a planet, Keith is tested. What they find out is something nobody but Shiro and Keith knew."What can we do to convince you Keith is trustworthy?" Shiro stated tightly as he stared at the strange aliens who watched Keith, "I trust him with my life. He's my right hand and I know he's more worthy than you'll ever know.""He'll have to prove it," a third alien exclaimed as he glared at Keith who still was staring at Shiro, "Prove he's not like all those Galra who've attacked and threatened and killed.""How will he do that?""He'll decide that," the leader waved her arm dismissively and a servant walked away.





	Worth Fighting For

**Author's Note:**

> I am so sorry...I wrote this way before...like...season 5...but after what we found out on the SDCC and the leaks...ouch...sorry, guys. Didn't plan it to go this way.
> 
> By the way, there are no spoilers for this. Just that if you know certain things, you'll probably be like...oh...
> 
> Enjoy!

Shiro felt his blood boil.

Keith stared back at him from the other side of a purple-tinted dome. His best friend's arms were cuffed behind him with him on knees as Shiro nearly growled. Keith was holding his right shoulder stiffly, and Shiro knew his arm must be bothering him from the trials less than a week prior. Keith looked about as indifferent as he could get, but Shiro knew he was frightened. The younger man's body quivered just slightly, just enough for him to pick out the nervous swallow that bobbed his Adam's Apple. Keith never looked at anyone besides Shiro as everything else blurred around Shiro.

"You can't do this!" Allura shouted as she strode a few steps forward as the others gave her worried glances as they stood behind her, "Release my Red Paladin immediately."

"Your Red Paladin is a Galra," the leader hissed as Shiro gritted his teeth to not act out in a way they'd all regret, "And Galra can't possibly be good."

"Keith is," Shiro heard someone, possibly Lance or Pidge, protest as he watched his best friend, "He's helping protect the universe. Save you guys."

"Yeah," someone else spoke up, "He literally saved you today."

"If not for his quick thinking," Allura spoke as she no doubt glared softly, "You wouldn't have a planet left nor would you be alive."

"Because of the Galra," an advisor stated as she threw her arm to the still paladin who looked at her, "He can easily turn. After all, I've heard the ruler of the Galra was once a 'dear' friend."

Shiro glanced at the princess whose eyes went dark. If anyone knew it, it would be her. No matter what, Shiro knew Keith would never turn like that. He was good. Shiro would always see that good that he had. Under all that prickly exterior was a sweet, soft, caring, and loving man. Shiro knew it as he knew anything. Keith was his rock, reminded him that he wasn't a monster. He was the force who constantly protected Shiro. It was Shiro's turn to do the same.

"What can we do to convince you Keith is trustworthy?" Shiro stated tightly as he stared at the strange aliens who watched Keith, "I trust him with my life. He's my right hand and I know he's more worthy than you'll ever know."

"He'll have to prove it," a third alien exclaimed as he glared at Keith who still was staring at Shiro, "Prove he's not like all those Galra who've attacked and threatened and killed."

"How will he do that?"

"He'll decide that," the leader waved her arm dismissively and a servant walked away. Said worker stepped through the barrier like it wasn't there. Keith blinked before his gaze landed on the being. He surged to his feet as best he could without the use of his arms. The servant was much bigger than he was, large enough to stand nearly twice his height. As Keith stared up, the alien moved. He quickly pulled something red from his wrist and threw it at Keith's face. The thing wrapped around the boy's head to cover his eyes. Keith let out a startled breath as he fell backwards onto his butt.

Shiro winced as he unconsciously took a step forward. Before he could go any further, the same servant was pushing him back. He let the alien push him back as he watched Keith's breathing pick up slightly. 

"He'll be fine," the ruler waved as her five eyes stared at Shiro, "Shortly, we'll find out why he fights in this war. Everyone has a reason to fight."

She nodded and the servant offered a few bands to them as they stared distrustfully at the devices as the leader and her advisors giggled.

"I think a demonstration is in order," she grinned, "To show you that it will not hurt him. Just show us what he fights for in this war, what he wishes to prevent. Perhaps you should try it, Princess Allura of Altea."

Shiro saw Allura, Lance, and Hunk give curious glances before they shrugged. The princess, Blue Paladin, and Yellow Paladin pulled on theirs.

"What now?" Hunk asked as he tapped his covered eyes, "Do we wait or?"

"No waiting. We just need to turn it on."

Allura's lit up first as she gave a small gasp. A screen came into existence with a planet of blue. Shiro knew it had to be Altea and was proven correct as the planet exploded. Shiro thought he saw a picture of her father and a small group of other Alteans that included Coran. Multiple versions of others appeared and they were scattered to dust too. Shiro frowned as he saw a planet they had just seen about a month ago.

She removed her band gently, and they ignored her glassy eyes as Lance's lit up to show Earth as it appeared. A bunch of people from the mind meld appeared, so it had to have been Lance's family. Before they could blink, purple Galra ships swarmed the planet, taking over. The Cuban slipped the blind off his eyes with clenched fists as Allura sent him a sympathetic smile.

Hunk's glowed as his mouth hung open. The round circle turned into the Balmera with Shay and her family. Shiro's expression softened as he remembered Hunk's want to protect the bigger alien after he met her. All too soon, the Galra showed up and enslaved them once again. Shiro saw Pidge and Lance cringe at that, knowing Hunk didn't want that. It faded into nothing as he removed the red cloth.

"That was..."

"Not fun." Lance finished for the larger paladin who nodded.

"The sooner we get this done," Shiro spoke up as he glanced at Keith who hadn't moved from his spot, shoulders hunched as if to hug himself, "The sooner we can get Keith out of there."

"Very well," the device lit up and Keith stiffened. Nothing happened. They waited a few seconds. Still nothing as the only thing heard was their own breathing and Shiro's heartbeats pounding in his head.

"Is this supposed to happen or..." Lance started only for Keith to breathe out something as he folded one leg beneath himself. In front of Keith, the air flickered. Piece by piece, a picture showed up. Shiro cursed silently in his mind as the others frowned.

There stood Shiro. This one wasn't like with Allura's, Hunk's, or Lance's. This one was full size and dressed in his casual clothes, smile on his face. Shiro wasn't all that surprised. Keith and he were close. When Sendak had taken over the castle and thrown him, Shiro had noticed Keith attack with an anger he'd only seen when the older man had been gossiped about at the Garrison. 

The image flickered again, bits dissolving and redoing themselves until Shiro was in the grey Garrison uniform. The scar was gone, hair all black, and right arm whole and flesh. He looked hopeful, a light in his eyes that was dimmed in the real one's now. He looked years younger, and Shiro's eyes widened. It had been about two years since he'd left for Kerberos, and now that he had time to look, he had changed a lot.

The image flickered again, trading between the two. It did a good job a contrasting the changes, and Shiro moved forward. The image shuttered before another person formed beside the fake Shiro. 

It was Keith. Shiro watched his fake self put his arm on Keith's shoulder like always. The image flickered again to their Garrison days with Keith in his orange cadet outfit and him in his grey outfit. Shiro remembered this scene, but it was hazy from his time in Zarkon's prison, and felt like it was from a few decades ago.

"Keith," his voice echoed into the air, and the aliens squeaked; maybe it wasn't supposed to play out with sound...Shiro grinned inside, Keith was good at accomplishing the impossible, "You really need to get your emotions under control."

"I know," fake Keith looked down.

"You can't keep getting into fights, even if it's to defend my reputation," Shiro frowned as they both sat down near the campfire they'd made in the middle of the desert, "Someday I'm not going to be around and I-"

"Don't say that," Keith spoke up as he stared at the man who stared back in confusion before a look of regret filtered onto his face.

"Keith," Shiro started with a knowing tone only for the image to rearrange itself so they were in the paladin armor, the colors vivid. The wound he was clenching was ominous and purple as sweat gathered on his brow, "If I don't make it out of here, I want you to-"

The image splattered to show Shiro walking away, the same situation that happened just less than a week before. Shiro felt his anger grow. When would they stop hurting Keith with his image? He nearly growled as he glanced at his best friend who was clearly shaken by what was going on. His breathing came out uneven and quick, almost hyperventilating. Shiro hated this. The image stuttered and replaced itself with the outfit he wore to board the ship to Kerberos. As he walked away, back turned to Keith, the image flickered again to his paladin armor. Keith in his dark Marmora suit appeared as fake Shiro took more steps away.

"Shiro!" Both Keiths called out, although the real ones was more choked up, "Wait!"

"That's it," Shiro moved forward as the images shuttered in and out of existence, sometimes a whole and other times a mixture of multiple things at once, "I'm calling this off. Leave him alone."

Shiro moved up to the force field as he tapped on it. The surface was solid like their lions' own, but this would no doubt be weaker. Shiro powered up his arm, which brought some protest to the aliens lips, and scratched his way through the bubble of purple. At first, it didn't give. Soon, the energy frizzled where his mechanical fingers licked the thing. It crackled out of existence as Shiro rushed to Keith's side. 

Keith wasn't dealing with it all that well. He was hunched further on himself, flexible enough to nearly touch his knees with his chest. At any other time, Shiro would admire that but Keith needed him. The young man's breaths were choppy, coming out at odd intervals, and sometimes not coming out at all. Shiro carefully latched onto Keith's shoulders as the boy panted and panicked. He felt him tremble shakily as he ignored whatever was happening behind them. Hearing gasps of surprise, some of which were disgust, Shiro figured out their relationship was out the figurative window. He pulled the blindfold off his best friend's eyes.

"Hey, Keith," teary and red-rimmed eyes glanced at him, widening before they watered more, "It's okay. I'm here. You're going to be okay."

"Sh-sh-iro?" Keith breathed and let out a small whimper that was part pain, part fear, "Sor-sorry..."

"It's not your fault," Shiro reassured softly as Keith rested his head on his shoulder. He quickly lit up his hand, breaking the bonds that held Keith, "We would have had to tell them eventually."

"But," an indigo eye stared at him through ebony hair, "I...my...Galra...I thought...you were gone...and I..."

"I'm here," Shiro wrapped Keith into his arms, "I got you, buddy. I'm not leaving again. I'm staying here."

It took a minute or so, but Shiro didn't move. He could still hear the protests in the background of the room, the aliens not at all thrilled and their team was just as stunned. When Keith finally calmed down, Shiro helped him get up, one hand on a shoulder and other around his waist to support his weight as the younger stood on shaky legs.

"How dare the leader of Voltron be with a Galra!" The queen protested, look of extreme disgust on her face, "Have you no morals? You are supporting the enemy."

Keith tensed. Shiro's barely noticed as memories raced through his mind. Being forced to fight as some sick game. Losing his arm, and being awake and aware to feel the pain as he begged for them to stop. Yellow eyes of the witch staring down at him as she ripped a hole into his side. Black screaming in his head as the screens flickered, reddish purple spreading like a disease as the Empire's symbol lit up the screen. The fight with Zarkon that nearly ended him. The trials that almost took his best friend and love away from hi-

"SHUT UP!" Keith's voice filtered through the haze as Shiro came back to the room, now realizing he was breathing very quickly, limbs locked stiffly, "CAN'T YOU SEE YOU'RE MAKING SHIRO UNCOMFORTABLE!?"

Keith was in front of him protectively, all teeth and claws as he glared at the tall aliens. Shiro quickly took a few deep breaths in and out. Things cleared more as the others talked more.

"You have no say in this, demon," one of the advisors shouted as he glared at Keith who didn't even flinch, "What have you forced the Black Paladin to do? What threat could you hold over him? A Galra cannot love. It cannot happen. It does not happen."

"Look," Shiro exhaled with a sigh as everyone, including his boyfriend who looked at him worriedly as he always does when making sure Shiro's feeling okay, stared at him, "We get that the Galra have not been good to you and your people. I'm sorry about that. I know exactly how it feels to be their prisoner."

He took a deep breath in, glancing subtly at his right-hand man before his own determination kicked in.

"But I'm not letting you hurt Keith," he saw a few eyes widen and then narrow, "Keith never forced me into anything. Just like I've never forced Keith to do anything. And I've known him for years now. There's nothing that I won't accept from him, including his Galra side."

He points that towards the leader who blinks three eyes at once. She gestures a clenched fist, and a few of the servants march up to stand on either side of them. The team looks ready to jump in to help them, but they are suddenly restrained. Shiro gazes back at the alien ordering it all. In that moment, he misses the large clawed hand reaching for him. But before he can get hit, something throws him back to slam onto the stone floor. 

Keith's standing there with his Blade of Marmora blade in hand, in sword form as he strains to stop the hand from pushing too much. He nearly snarls as he huffs and pushes on the blade even more, moving the servant back a few steps. Before anyone could blink, Keith holds out his weapon which turns into a knife again.

"If you are mad because I'm Galra, then fine. I've dealt with worse and you can do whatever you want," Shiro wants to pull him back and not let him go, but he doesn't move, "But don't touch Shiro. I'm not losing him again...I can't lose him again."

The same alien raises its hand again. It swings it straight for Keith's chest. Shiro's blood turns cold as he tries to get up fast enough to protect Keith. The wicked claws are nearly to his ribs. Shiro can't breathe as he starts forward, brain screaming at him to move.

"Gunittor," the woman calls and the hand freezes, "Let him live. It seems we were all wrong about this one."

Shiro was shocked. He saw that the others, all with wide eyes, were just as surprised as he was.

"How...Why?" Keith stutters out, unsure just as much as Shiro is of what to say.

"You were prepared to let us take you prisoner or to kill you to protect the Black Paladin," two of her eyes squint as she nods, "No Galra we know has ever done so. They have all tried to save their own skin and nothing else. Yet, you protect him fiercely and loyally in even ways no Galra has their leader."

“Shiro's changed my life,” Keith nodded as Shiro looked into his violet eyes, “And I'm staying by his side.”

“I see that,” the queen smiled as she raised her hand and the aliens released the others, “Forgive us, Red Paladin. We will have a feast as an apology. Come this way.”

“Okay,” Keith smiled a bit as Shiro strolled up to his side, “Hey.”

“Hey,” Shiro responded as he grinned too, placing a hand on his shoulder, “Sorry that happened back there.”

“It's fine,” Keith smiled softer as Shiro glanced at him skeptically, “I'll be okay, Shiro.”

“Okay,” Shiro laughed quietly before he gazed at the group wandering away, “We better catch up to the others.”

“Yeah,” they both moved forward as Shiro kept his hand on the man's shoulder.


End file.
